NEET PG Counselling 2026 Round 1: Registration Opens Oct 12 at MCC

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has released the official schedule for NEET PG counselling 2026 round 1, with registration opening on October 12 at mcc.nic.in. This counselling round covers 50% of All India Quota (AIQ) seats across central universities, deemed universities, and ESIC institutes for MD, MS, and PG Diploma programmes. If you have qualified NEET PG 2026, understanding these dates and the registration process is essential to secure your postgraduate seat. The entire round 1 process—from registration through seat allotment and joining—will conclude by early November.

NEET PG Counselling 2026 Round 1: Complete Timeline

The MCC has laid out a clear, week-by-week schedule for round 1 counselling. Seat matrix verification—where you confirm the number and type of seats available—runs from October 10 to 12. This is your first checkpoint: verify that the seat data matches official announcements before you register.

Registration and fee payment open on October 12 and close on October 21. During this 10-day window, you must create your MCC login, complete the counselling application, upload required documents, and pay the prescribed fee. Simultaneously, from October 13 to 22, you will fill and lock your choice of colleges and courses. This overlapping period means you can register and start selecting preferences at the same time.

After choice locking closes on October 22, MCC will process seat allotments on October 22–23. Results will be declared on October 24. You then have until November 2 to report to your allotted college and complete admission formalities. On November 3, MCC will verify joined candidate data to confirm your admission.

Who Can Register for NEET PG Counselling 2026?

You are eligible to participate in NEET PG counselling 2026 if you have qualified the NEET PG 2026 exam conducted by NBEMS (National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences). The qualifying cut-off scores are 262 for General and EWS candidates, 244 for General PwBD (Person with Disability), and 226 for SC, ST, and OBC candidates. If your score meets or exceeds these thresholds, you can register.

Counselling is open to MBBS graduates seeking admission to MD, MS, PG Diploma, and DNB (Diplomate of National Board) programmes for the 2026–27 academic year. The MCC counselling specifically covers 50% of AIQ seats; the remaining 50% state quota seats are managed by individual state authorities through their own counselling portals. Some states, such as Karnataka and Assam, have already begun their state counselling processes in parallel.

NEET PG Counselling Registration Fees and Security Deposit

The registration fee structure varies by institution type and candidate category. For 50% AIQ and central university seats, General category candidates pay ₹1,000 as a non-refundable registration fee plus a ₹25,000 refundable security deposit. SC, ST, OBC, and PwBD candidates pay ₹500 as registration fee and ₹10,000 as security deposit.

If you are registering for deemed university seats, the fee is higher: ₹5,000 non-refundable registration fee and ₹2 lakh refundable security deposit, regardless of category. The security deposit is refunded after you complete your admission and join the allotted college. Ensure you have these funds available before October 21, as payment is mandatory to proceed to choice filling.

Step-by-Step Registration Process at mcc.nic.in

Registration is entirely online. Visit mcc.nic.in and navigate to the PG Medical Counselling section. Look for the NEET PG 2026 counselling registration link under the candidates' activity section. Click 'New Registration' to begin.

You will be asked to enter your NEET PG roll number, date of birth, and other personal details. Create a unique login username and password—save these securely, as you will use them to access your counselling portal throughout the process. Complete the counselling application form with accurate information.

Upload all required documents as PDF or image files (see the documents section below for the full list). Pay the prescribed registration fee and security deposit through the online payment gateway. Once payment is confirmed, submit your form. MCC will send you a confirmation page—download and save this for your records and for verification at the allotted college.

• Visit mcc.nic.in and select PG Medical Counselling
• Click 'New Registration' and enter NEET PG details
• Create login credentials and complete the application form
• Upload required documents (admit card, degree, internship certificate, etc.)
• Pay registration fee and security deposit online
• Submit and save the confirmation page

Essential Documents for NEET PG Counselling Registration

Before you begin registration, gather all required documents. You will need your NEET PG 2026 admit card and scorecard (download from NBEMS portal using your login). Your MBBS degree certificate or provisional degree certificate is mandatory, along with all MBBS marksheets and your internship completion certificate.

Medical registration is also required: your permanent or provisional registration certificate issued by the Medical Council of India (MCI) or your state medical council. Bring proof of date of birth (birth certificate or passport), a valid government-issued photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, or driving licence), and recent passport-size photographs (typically 4–6 copies).

If you belong to a reserved category (SC, ST, OBC), bring your caste certificate. If you are a PwBD candidate, bring your disability certificate. If applicable, bring NRI-related documents or a migration certificate. Some colleges may request additional documents during admission verification, so check the allotted college's website after seat allotment.

• NEET PG admit card and scorecard
• MBBS degree or provisional degree certificate
• MBBS marksheets
• Internship completion certificate
• Permanent or provisional medical registration certificate
• Date of birth proof
• Valid government-issued photo ID
• Passport-size photographs
• Category certificate (if applicable)
• PwBD certificate (if applicable)
• Migration certificate (if applicable)

How to Fill and Lock Your College and Course Choices

After registration, you enter the choice-filling phase (October 13–22). Log in to your MCC counselling portal and browse the available seats by college, course, and category. You can view opening and closing ranks from the previous year to estimate your chances, though this year's ranks may differ.

Rank your preferences in order of priority. You can list as many colleges and courses as you wish. The system will consider your rank and your locked preferences during seat allotment. Once you have finalized your list, click 'Lock Choices'—this action is irreversible, so review carefully before locking. After locking, you cannot modify your preferences, so ensure your ranking reflects your genuine priorities.

During seat allotment, the algorithm will match your rank against available seats in the order of your preferences. If your rank qualifies for your first choice, you will be allotted that seat. If not, the system moves to your second choice, and so on. This is why careful ranking is critical.

Understanding Freeze and Float Options After Seat Allotment

Once you receive a seat allotment on October 24, you will have two options: Freeze or Float. If you select Freeze, you accept the allotted seat and confirm your admission. You will not participate in any subsequent counselling rounds, and your seat is locked.

If you select Float, you accept the current allotment but remain eligible for upgradation in the next counselling round. If a better-ranked college or course becomes available in round 2, you may be upgraded. However, if no upgrade occurs, you retain your current allotment. Float is useful if you believe a higher-ranked college might open up, but it carries the risk of losing your current seat if the system cannot find an upgrade and you do not report on time.

Most candidates choose Freeze if they are satisfied with their allotment, as it guarantees admission. Choose Float only if you are confident about potential upgrades and willing to wait for round 2 results.

NEET PG 2026 Closing Ranks: What They Mean for Your Chances

Closing ranks from the previous year (2025) provide a benchmark for estimating your chances this year. For example, in MD General Medicine at top colleges, closing ranks ranged from 15 (ABVIMS, Dr. RML Hospital, New Delhi) to over 500 at mid-tier government colleges. In Andhra Pradesh, MD Radiodiagnosis at Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences, Chittoor, had a closing rank of 15,849, while MD General Medicine at Alluri Sitaramaraju Academy closed at 17,616.

These ranks are historical and may shift based on this year's candidate pool, category distribution, and choices. If your rank is better (lower number) than last year's closing rank, your chances of securing that seat are strong. If your rank is close to or slightly worse than the closing rank, you are in a borderline zone—your chances depend on how many candidates ahead of you choose that college.

Use closing ranks as a guide, not a guarantee. Consult college predictors and speak with mentors who took NEET PG in previous years to refine your choice list.

State Counselling Processes Running in Parallel

While MCC counselling covers 50% AIQ seats, individual states conduct their own counselling for the remaining 50% state quota seats. Karnataka's KEA (Karnataka Examination Authority) opened registration from October 5 to 15 without a late fee. Assam has already released its provisional merit list for state quota seats. Gujarat's ACPPGMEC (Admission Committee for Professional Post Graduate Medical Educational Courses) is expected to announce its merit list soon.

If you are a resident of a state or have a state quota eligibility, you may be eligible to participate in both MCC and state counselling. Some candidates secure seats through state counselling before MCC allotment, or vice versa. Check your state's official medical education website for counselling dates, merit lists, and registration links. Do not miss state counselling deadlines, as they often run on different timelines than MCC.

What Happens After Seat Allotment: Reporting and Admission

After you receive your allotment on October 24 and select Freeze or Float, you must report to your allotted college between October 26 and November 2. Reporting involves submitting your original documents for verification, completing admission formalities, and paying any college fees or bonds as applicable. Failure to report within this window may result in forfeiture of your seat.

On November 3, MCC will verify joined candidate data—essentially confirming that you have physically reported and been admitted. This verification is crucial for finalizing your admission status. After this date, your admission is considered complete, and you can begin your postgraduate programme. If you have selected Float and received an upgrade in a subsequent round, you will need to report to the new college within the specified timeframe.

Frequently asked questions

NEET PG counselling 2026 round 1 is now live. Register by October 21, lock your choices by October 22, and prepare to report to your allotted college by November 2. Monitor mcc.nic.in regularly for updates, and do not miss any deadlines—counselling timelines are strict, and delays can cost you your seat.